Analysis of phosphate and phosphate containing headgroups enzymatically cleaved from phospholipids of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> by capillary electrophoresis

A new, fast, selective, and reliable capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for analysis of selected phosphoesters (phosphoserine, phosphoethanolamine, phosphoglycerol) and phosphate. The method is based on separation of specific phosphate containing headgroups (phosphoesters) which are cleaved from the glycerol skeleton of a phospholipid by a regioselective enzyme (phospholipase C). Analysis of intact phospholipids with the same polar headgroup but different fatty acids shows that fatty acid composition has a high impact on separation of phospholipids, so analysis of separated polar headgroups, which avoids this influence, represents a much more suitable approach for phospholipid class research. Optimization of method parameters results in running buffers of relatively narrow pH interval (pH about 10) where all phosphoesters are separated. Further method validation has shown that direct UV detection has a sufficient detection limit for all analytes to perform suitable analyses of cell membrane lipids. The optimized method was tested on the lysate of cell membrane of Bacillus subtilis, where all analytes were determined.     

Uric Acid: A Less‐than‐Perfect Probe for Singlet Oxygen

Uric acid and/or its monoanion has long been used as chemical‐trapping agents to demonstrate the presence of singlet oxygen, O₂(a¹Δ_g), in aqueous systems. “Oxidative bleaching” of uric acid, generally monitored through changes in the uric acid absorption spectrum, is often used in support of claims for the intermediacy of O₂(a¹Δ_g). The bleaching of uric acid has also been used to quantify photosensitized O₂(a¹Δ_g) yields in selected systems. Unfortunately, experiments performed to these ends often neglect processes and phenomena that can influence the results obtained. For the present study, we experimentally examined the behavior of uric acid under a variety of conditions relevant to the photoinitiated creation and subsequent removal of O₂(a¹Δ_g). Although the oxidative destruction of uric acid can indeed be a useful tool in some cases, we conclude that caution must be exercised such as not to incorrectly interpret the data obtained.     

A Triptycene‐Based Approach to Solubilising Carbon Nanotubes and C60

We describe herein the synthesis of a triptycene‐based surfactant designed with the ability to solubilise single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and C₆₀ in water through non‐covalent interactions. Furthermore, an amphiphilic naphthalene‐based surfactant with the same ability to solubilise SWNTs and C₆₀ has also been prepared. The compounds synthesised were designed with either two ionic or non‐ionic tails to ensure a large number of supramolecular interactions with the solvent, thereby promoting strong solubilisation. The surfactants produced stable suspensions in which the SWNTs are dispersed and the surfactant/SWNT complexes formed are stable for more than one year. UV/Vis/NIR absorption spectroscopy, TEM and AFM were employed to probe the solubilisation properties of the dispersion of surfactants and SWNTs in water.     

Measurement of the perfection of nanoscale multilayers

In modern materials science the characterisation of nanostructures is becoming increasingly important. For measurement of the quality of nanoscale multilayer arrangement with high spatial resolution a method is described that is based on the broadening of the spots in the Fourier transformation of transmission electron microscopic images of multilayer cross-sections. Using this method on Si/Ge superlattices with periodic lengths between 4 and 12 nm it could be quantitatively shown that the layer perfection decreases with increasing periodic length. The transition from elastic to plastic deformation between the Si and Ge layers at larger periodic lengths can be the reason for this behaviour.     

Exact solution of Schrdinger equation with q-deformed quantum potentials using Nikiforov–Uvarov method

In this paper,we present the exact solution of the one-dimensional Schrdinger equation for the q-deformed quantum potentials via the Nikiforov–Uvarov method.The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of these potentials are obtained via this method.The energy equations and the corresponding wave functions for some special cases of these potentials are briefly discussed.The PT-symmetry and Hermiticity for these potentials are also discussed.     

Statistical Analysis of Diffusion Coefficient Determination by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has become an important and widely used technique for many applications in physics, chemistry, and biology. The parameter most frequently addressed by FCS is the diffusion of molecules in solution. Due to the highly non-linear connection between the diffusion coefficient and a measured autocorrelation function, it is extremely difficult to analyse the accuracy of the diffusion-coefficient determination in a FCS experiment. Here, we present a simplified analysis based on some general maximum-likelihood considerations, and numerical result are given for the dependence of the accuracy of the diffusion-coefficient determination on sample concentration, brightness, and measurement time. Optimal concentration values for performing FCS are found.     

Beta Decay of 111Tc to 111Ru

The β-decay of the very neutron-rich ¹¹¹Tc nucleus has been observed. A partial decay scheme of ¹¹¹Ru is presented, complementing the high-spin levels earlier reported in spontaneous fission work. Received: 15 January 1998     

The β-decay of 22Al

In an experiment performed at the LISE3 facility of GANIL, we studied the decay of ²²Al produced by the fragmentation of a ³⁶Ar primary beam. A β-decay half-life of T_1/2 = 91.1±0.5ms was measured. The β-delayed one- and two-proton emission as well as β-α and β-delayed γ-decays were measured and allowed us to establish a partial decay scheme for this nucleus. New levels were determined in the daughter nucleus ²²Mg. The comparison with model calculations strongly favours a spin-parity of I^π = 4⁺ for the ground state of ²²Al.     

Classification of quantum degenerate regimes in one-dimensional Bose gases

In this paper we address the different regimes of quantum degeneracy in a one-dimensional Bose gas taking into consideration some parameters that are readily accessible in the experiment. We pay particular attention to the tunability of the trap anisotropy and the number of particles in the system.